TFL 207
Academic Writing
Week 2
Table of contents
01 02
Introduction to Source
Research Evaluation
Databases
03
Practical Tips
"Without data, you're just
another person with an opinion."
—W. Edwards Deming
01
Introduction to
Research Databases
What is a research database?
A research database is a structured, searchable collection of information, allowing for
simultaneous searches across multiple resources. Research databases use
keyword-based, precise searching, unlike Google's natural language searches, which can
yield many irrelevant results. Additionally, research databases provide advanced filtering
options for more relevant results and don't track users or show ads, making them better
suited for academic research, while Google may be more useful for finding websites or
broader information.
It differs from general search engines like Google by primarily offering scholarly content
such as …
➔ journal articles
➔ books
➔ videos
rather than websites.
University of Houston database, n.a.
Academic research databases
Scopus JSTOR ERIC
multiple disciplines multiple disciplines education-based
literature
PsycINFO EBSCO DOAJ
psychology and applied science, technology, medicine,
sociology humanities, sociology social sciences, arts,
and business humanities
How to Access and Use Research Databases?
➔ Through Your Institution:
Most universities provide access to
databases via their library.
➔ Public Libraries:
Some public libraries offer free access to
select databases. Check their websites for
available resources.
➔ Open Access Databases:
Some databases, like Google Scholar or PubMed,
offer free access to scholarly materials.
Basic Search Strategies:
➔ Start with Keywords: Begin by identifying the main concepts or keywords related to your
research topic.
➔ Use Boolean Operators: Combine keywords using AND, OR, NOT to refine your search (e.g.,
“education AND equity”).
➔ Apply Filters: Narrow down your search by filtering for publication date, document type
(e.g., peer-reviewed articles), or language.
➔ Use Quotation Marks for Phrases: Enclose exact phrases in quotation marks (e.g., "climate
change impact") to get more precise results.
➔ Subject Terms: Use subject-specific terms or categories within the database to narrow your
results.
➔ Citation Tracking: Use the references of a relevant article to find more related studies.
Understanding Metadata in Research Databases:
Metadata provides essential details about a resource that help
you assess its relevance without needing to read the entire
document. Key metadata elements include:
1. Title: Look for specific, clear titles that directly relate to your research topic.
2. Abstract: Use the abstract to quickly decide whether the article is relevant to your work
before reading the full text.
3. Keywords: They help categorize the article within databases and improve search results.
4. Publication Year: In rapidly changing fields, recent publications are often more relevant.
By understanding metadata, you can effectively assess a source's relevance, even before accessing
the full text.
02
Source Evaluation:
Determining Quality
and Relevance
Competitors
Primary data Secondary data
Primary data is original Secondary data is
data collected firsthand pre-existing data that
by the researcher for a was collected by
specific research someone else for a
purpose. different purpose but
can be used in new
research.
Ajayi, 2017
Ajayi, 2017
Scholarly vs. Non-Scholarly Sources:
Scholarly Sources: Written by experts for an academic or professional
audience, usually featuring original research, data, or theory.
● Examples: Peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers,
dissertations, academic books.
Non-Scholarly Sources: Written for the general public, often lacking
in-depth research or analysis.
● Examples: Blogs, popular news articles, opinion pieces, magazines.
Bai, X. et al. (2017)
Peer-Reviewed Articles vs. Popular Sources:
Peer-Reviewed Articles:
○ Go through a review process where experts in the field evaluate the
content before publication.
○ Ensure high quality and reliability of information.
○ Essential for academic research, as they are validated by other
professionals.
Popular Sources:
○ Do not undergo peer review.
○ Can be useful for general understanding or current opinions but lack the
depth and credibility of peer-reviewed works.
Evaluating Credibility:
01 02 03
Author Qualification Institutional Journal Reputation
Affiliations and Impact Factor:
Measures how often articles in
Assess the author's expertise by Affiliation with a trusted
a journal are cited by others. A
checking their academic institution often indicates higher impact factor generally
credentials, research adherence to research indicates a more influential
background, and professional
ethics and standards. journal
experience.
Carlson, E. (1995)
03
Practical Tips
Practical Tips for Effective Searching
Start Broad, Use Abstracts and
Then Narrow Summaries
Begin with general
01 02 Don’t read full articles
terms, refine based on unless necessary.
initial findings
Look for Review Use Specific Keywords
Articles
Summarize key
03 04 For more precise results,
use quotation marks
findings from multiple around key phrases
studies
Apply Boolean Operators:
Use AND, OR, and NOT to combine or exclude terms, helping to refine
your search.
AND narrows results (e.g., “education AND equity”)
OR broadens them (e.g., “equity OR fairness”)
NOT excludes irrelevant terms (e.g., “equity NOT stock market”)
For Seminar Practice:
1. Bring your Laptop
2. Look for 10-15 academic papers
relevant to your topic
List of references
● Ajayi, V. O. (2017). Primary sources of data and secondary sources of data. Benue State University, 1(1),
1-6.
● Bai, X., Liu, H., Zhang, F., Ning, Z., Kong, X., Lee, I., & Xia, F. (2017). An overview on evaluating and
predicting scholarly article impact. Information, 8(3), 73.
● Busch, B. Trends and innovative practices in multilingual education in Europe: An [Link] Rev
Educ 57, 541–549 (2011). [Link]
● Carlson, E. R. (1995). Evaluating the credibility of sources: A missing link in the teaching of critical
thinking. Teaching of Psychology, 22(1), 39-41.
● Dinet, J., Favart, M., & Passerault, J. M. (2004). Searching for information in an online public access
catalogue (OPAC): the impacts of information search expertise on the use of Boolean operators.
Journal of computer assisted learning, 20(5), 338-346.
● University of Houston database (n.a.).
[Link]
search%20many%20resources%20simultaneously.
Q&A
